All rescue services engaged as defence minister says situation serious
Ljubljana, 4 August - Some 250 members of the Slovenian Armed Forces are on the ground helping Civil Protection teams and firefighters cope with floods and landslides that have hit the north-west, north and parts of central Slovenia, said Defence Minister Marjan Šarec, under whose jurisdiction are the country's main rescue services.
Kamnik
Floods in Kamnik, north of Ljubljana.
Photo: Tatjana Zemljič/STA
Kamnik
Floods in Kamnik, north of Ljubljana.
Photo: Tatjana Zemljič/STA
Domžale
The Kamniška Bistrica rising heavily in Domžale, north of Ljubljana.
Photo: Žiga Bojc/STA
Medvode
The river Sava in the Medvode area.
Photo: Ksenija Brišar/STA
Medvode
The river Sava in the Medvode area north of Ljubljana.
Photo: Ksenija Brišar/STA
Kamnik
The Kamniška Bistrica flooding in Kamnik, north of Ljubljana, after a night of heavy rain.
Photo: STA
Ljubljana
Defence Minister Marjan Šarec, former mayor of Kamnik.
Photo: Bor Slana/STA
File photo
Šarec put in action the Vihra action plan that enables participation of soldiers in rescue efforts in large-scale natural disasters.
He also said that the country's Civil Protection command is meeting to decide on next steps, because the situation in practically entire Slovenia is serious.
Šarec spoke to the press in Kamnik, his hometown, which has also been hit by floods and landslides, and one person died in the municipality, but he had no details yet.
The minister said that rescue teams have difficulties accessing the affected areas as roads are flooded or unpassable due to landslides.
He urged people not to walk or drive on flooded areas, as they may get stuck causing more work for the already busy rescue teams.
"The situation is extremely complicated, so I urge all those who don't have an urgent errand to run to stay at home, and not to drive anywhere."
In Kamnik, the water swept away bridges, flooding private buildings and public institutions.
In the most severely affected areas around the country, more than 16,000 electricity users have been left without power, data from electricity utilities show.
After the national flood protection and rescue plan was put in action this morning, the Culture Ministry followed suit by activating its action plan to protect cultural heritage.
This in effect means a quick line of communication in case of an emergency from the national information centre CORS through the ministry to the Institute for the Protection of Cultural Heritage, which then issues guidance to address the situation.
Slovenia's register of non-movable cultural heritage numbers around 30,400 units.